Coreopsis plant named &#39;gold nugget&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Coreopsis  plant named ‘Gold Nugget’ characterized by prolific, large, bright yellow and maroon daisy-type flowers, grass green foliage, very free branching and flowering, long bloom time, and a mounding habit.

BOTANICAL DENOMINATION

Coreopsis hybrid

VARIETY DESIGNATION

‘Gold Nugget’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct hybrid of Coreopsis and given the cultivar name ‘Gold Nugget’. Coreopsis is in the family Asteraceae. This new cultivar originated from a branch sport from Coreopsis ‘Snowberry’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 11/474,021).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of the new variety. These characteristics in combination distinguish Coreopsis ‘Gold Nugget’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   1. Large, daisy-type flowers that grow to 4.5 cm in diameter; -   2. Unique, bright yellow and maroon bi-colored ray florets; -   3. Grass green foliage; -   4. Very free branching; -   5. Very free flowering; -   6. Long bloom time; -   7. Mounding habit.

This new cultivar has been reproduced only by asexual propagation (cuttings and tissue culture). Each of the progeny exhibits identical characteristics to the original plant. Asexual propagation by cuttings and tissue culture using standard micropropagation techniques with terminal and lateral shoots, as done in Canby, Oreg., shows that the foregoing characteristics and distinctions come true to form and are established and transmitted through succeeding propagations. The present invention has not been evaluated under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary with variations in environment without a change in the genotype of the plant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The photograph shows a nine-month-old Coreopsis ‘Gold Nugget’ growing in the ground in the trial field in August 2007, in Canby, Oreg.

DETAILED PLANT DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new Coreopsis cultivar based on observations of a nine-month-old specimen growing in the ground in full sun under typical outdoor conditions in the trial fields in August 2007, in Canby, Oreg. Canby is Zone 8 on the USDA Hardiness map. Temperatures range from a high of 95 degrees F in August to a low of 32 degrees F in January. Normal rainfall in Canby is 42.8 inches per year. The color descriptions are all based on The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart.

-   Plant:     -   -   Type.—herbaceous perennial.         -   Hardiness.—USDA Zones 7 to 10.         -   Size.—55 cm wide and 40 cm tall to top of inflorescences.         -   Form.—mound.         -   Vigor.—excellent.         -   Roots.—fibrous, Grey Brown 199D, stems root easily from stem             cuttings. -   Stem:     -   -   Type.—ascending.         -   Size.—32 cm tall and 4 mm wide.         -   Internode length.—5 to 30 mm.         -   Surface.—glabrous.         -   Color.—Green 137A. -   Leaf:     -   -   Type.—simple.         -   Shape.—linear.         -   Arrangement.—opposite.         -   Length including petiole.—grows to 6.5 cm.         -   Width.—3 mm.         -   Margins.—entire.         -   Apex.—acuminate.         -   Base.—attenuate, clasping.         -   Surface texture.—glabrous on both sides.         -   Venation.—pinnate.         -   Color.—top side Yellow Green 147A, bottom side Yellow Green             147B. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Type.—long stalked terminal heads of daisy type             inflorescences.         -   Peduncle.—6 to 9 cm tall, 1 mm wide, glabrous, Yellow Green             147B.         -   Size.—grows to 5 cm wide and 18 mm deep.         -   Immature.—8 mm long and 5 mm wide, ovoid, glabrous, Greyed             Yellow 161A on top half with Yellow Green 146A on bottom             half.         -   Receptacle.—bowl shaped, 5 mm wide and 5 mm deep, Green             137A.         -   Phyllary.—in two series, stellate; inner series 8 lobes,             grows to 16 mm wide and 7 mm deep, lobes reflex, ovate,             entire, acute, glabrous, 7 mm long and 5 mm wide, on both             sides top half Yellow Orange 22A tipped with Greyed Purple             187A, bottom half Yellow Green 147A; outer series with 6 to             8 lobes, grows to 10 mm wide and 3 mm deep, glabrous, lobes             lanceolate, entire, acute, 3.5 mm long and 1.5 mm wide,             Green 137A on both sides.         -   Bloom period.—June through September in Canby, Oreg.         -   Fragrance.—light, Chrysanthemum-like.         -   Lastingness.—each inflorescence lasts about 7 to 10 days. -   Florets:     -   -   Type.—composite.         -   Ray florets.—8 with no stamen or pistil, obovate with the             tip usually three lobed with lobes obtuse and notched and             the central lobe the longest, entire, grows to 25 mm long,             12 mm wide, glabrous on both surfaces, claw 3 mm long,             topside Yellow 12A with Greyed Purple 187B at base, bottom             side Yellow 4D with Greyed Green 197A at base.         -   Disc.—conic, deeper with maturity, 7 mm wide and becoming 3             mm deep with maturity, Greyed Orange 163C when in bud,             opening to Greyed Orange 163A.         -   Disc florets.—about 70 in number, 10 mm long and 1 mm wide,             corolla 5 mm long, tubular, 4 lobed, lobes entire, acute,             Orange 24B, tube Yellow 2B; pistil 1, 12 cm long, ovary 2 mm             long, Green White 157A, style 7 mm long, extruding, with             2-branched stigma, stigma Orange 24B and style Yellow 4C;             stamen 5, 3.5 mm long, filaments 1 mm long, Yellow 2B,             anthers 2.5 mm long, Black 202A, pollen Yellow 12A. -   Seed: none produced     -   -   Fertility.—infertile. -   Disease and pests: Coreopsis are susceptible to mildew and fungal     spots. No resistance is known for this variety.

COMPARISONS TO SIMILAR COREOPSIS

Compared to Coreopsis ‘Snowberry’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 11/474,021), the mother plant, the new variety has bright yellow rather than creamy white ray florets. Both flowers have a distinctive maroon eye.

Compared to Coreopsis ‘Autumn Blush’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 11/452,687), the new variety has a much darker yellow ray floret color. 

1. A new and distinct Coreopsis plant as herein illustrated and described. 